Printing machine



19'357- c. M. LAMB 1,991,020

PRINTING MACHINE Filed June 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. flfl/ezia M [4/75 ATTORNEY.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 20, 1932 ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES. PATENT .QFFICE v i i 5 1,991,020., i

V PRINTING MACHINE Charles .MQLainb, Pasadena, Calif.. Application J ne 20, 1932, Serial No.618,169 6 Claims. (01. ion-2 69) This invention relates to printing machines of the type that is used for printing posters, streamers or the like where a relatively long machine is required.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a relatively long printing machine in which the bed plate is arched from end to end to prevent sagging thereof.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a printing machine in which the impression roller is kept continuously rotating prior to and during the printing operation thereby preventingsmearing of the printed surface. i 1 y 3 Another object of the. invention residesin the provision of a deviceof this characterwhich is so constructedas tohold the impression roller at all times practically on a level with the type face to permit the roller to be easily moved thereacross during the printing operation.

.Another objectof the. invention resides in the provision of a printing machine which is provided with a pair of longitudinallyj extending side rails one positioned adjacent eachside edge of the bed plate, and the side railsbeing held upwardly by spring pressure to maintain the impression roller at its correct height to perform the printing operation. r l

These :objects and the several novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and-claimed and the preferred form of construction by which these objects are attained 7 shown in the .Which- V v v v Fig. 1 is a top plan'view'of my improved printing machine. s l r Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

' Fig. Bis an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig- 1. i

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view accompanying drawings in 7 taken on line 4-4 of 'Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional View showing the engagement.

Fig. 6 is a similar view showingthe rollers during the printing operation,

Fig. T is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing a modified form ofconstruction.v I V In the usual type of hand operated printing machines the impression member is normally supported on the. side frames and the portion ofthe upper roll immediately adjacent the type as the roll engagesthe same is below the type face-and is not rotating when brought into con tact with thecard being printed therefore necesimpression rollers out of printing sitating the roller being lifted by the type before the roller starts to rotate. Inasmuch as considerable amount of pressure is exerted to makean impression the operator must exert a considerable pull when the 'pressureroller comes 7 5 inalignment with the type and since the roller is not rotating the first'partof the impression is often blurred and the poster is not'properly printed. With my improved structure the upperroller' of the impression member is always contacted by the side railsso that the-roller is rotated atall times as it is drawn across from one end of the machine to the other. o

Since the rails have at all times an upward spring pressureexerted thereon the same will hold the. lower edge of theupper roll at a predetermined distance above the bed plate to per- .mit the impression member-.to be easily moved from oneend of the machine to the otherand to perform the printing operation. 20

, The device comprises thebed plate .1 which is arched, as more clearlyshown in Fig. 2, and

has the channel members 2 suitably secured one to each side edge of "the bed plate.

movement of the rails 3. By referring to Fig. 3

it will be seen that the screws f6 are so ad justed as to permit the upper edge of the rails 3 to extend slightly above the type faces of the type 8. The impression member 9 comprises the upper roller 10 and the lower roller 11 suitably carried in the. end brackets 12. The upper roller 10 is adjustable toward or from the roller 11, by movement of the handle 13 to secure the desired pressure during the printing operation;

The means for securing this adjustable relationship is" more clearly shown and described in my co-pending application onPrinting machine,.Seria1 No. 439,794. The rod 14 extends betweenthe sideframes 12 and permits the operator to grip the same to draw the impression member 9 from one. end of the machine to the other. The roller 10 rides on the upper edge of each of the side rails 3 and the springs 4' are sufficiently strong to support the weight of the impression member without appreciably. de-

fleeting the springs. The lower roller 11, normally rides against the lower face of the bed I the impression member when theirnpression with thetype.

plate 1 and as the impression member 9 is moved from one end of the machine to'the other the side rails 3 will be deflected downwardly against the action of the springs 4 and when the distance between the rollers 10 and 11 has been properly set the impression member 9 may be easily pulled from one end of the machine to the other to perform the printingoperation.

It has been found that it is not essential to have a cover over the card which is being print ed but ordinarily a loose pad 15, such as heavy.

paper or cardboard, is placed over the poster 16 during the printing operation. It will thus be seen that there is no sudden upward'jerk of rollers come in alignment with the edge of the type as the spring pressed side rails 3 always tendency for the roller to smear the poster being printed as the roller comes in alignment It will be further noted that due 7 to the arching of the side frames and base that any tendency of the bed plate to sag is prevented.

i Referring to Fig; 7, I have shown a modified form of construction in which the springs 4-. are free so'that'the same are not weakened by thescrews 5. In'this form of construction the springs are not weakened by the screws 5 and will consequently have a longer life. The springs will be held against longitudinal displacement by the screws 6, one screw being placed between the adjacent ends of the springs but far enough 7 apart to permit. the springs to completely compress. 7

From the foregoing descriptionit becomes evident that I have provided a printing machine for printing long streamers or posters which is extremely easy to operate and which will provide agvery legible impression on the streamer :or poster when the type is properly inked.

" Having thus fully described my invention, its

utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is a V 1. In a printing machine, a flexible sheet ean bed plate for supporting type thereon, a pair of rigid side frames of. channel form in "cross section, onesecured adjacent each side edge of the bed plate, the bed plate and the side frames arched from end. to end to prevent saggingof the bed plate, an impression member movable over the bed plate and type positioned 'thereon,said impression member including a roller. positioned over and in spaced relation with the bed plate, a second roller in adjustably spaced relation therewith and riding the under surface of the plate, and spring-supported strips in each of the said channel members engaged bytheupper roller in its traverse of the bed plate and type holding the lower roller in contact with the under surface of the bed plate to thereby maintain the lowermost surface of the upper the bed plate.

2. In a printing machine, a bed plate formed of flexible sheet metal, a rigid member of chanroller a fixed distance above nel form attached to the bed plate adjacent each longitudinal edge, a spring pressed strip in each channel member tending to project the strip upwardly from the bed plate, means limiting the extent of such projection, an impression member comprising an upper roller riding the strips and a lower roller riding the undersurface of the bed plate, a frame for supporting-the"rollers, and means for adjusting the distance apart of the said rollers, means on theimpression member traversing the outer side face of the said channel members of a character permitting variation in' vertical position of the impression member but- ,preventing material displacement thereof laterally of the bed plate, a handle means for drawing the impression member across the bed plate and printing elements positioned thereon, said strips providing a means for maintaining the lowermost fpQillll' of the upper roller a fixed distance above the bed plate inits traverse thereof in the printing operation.

3. In a printing machine, a metal bed plate of sheetform for supporting type; a pair of rigid side frames of U shape channel form in cross section, one secured adjacent each side edge of the'bed plate, a rail in eachof said channel members, a series of spring members in spaced relation along the channel members and tending to raise the rail upwardly to above the edges of the channel members, a series of elements secured in' spaced relation to the under side of the rail and extending through apertures in the channel and bed-plate in which the same is reciprocable, said elements having portions thereof engageable with the under side of the plate by action of the springs on the rails and limiting the upward movement of the rails, an impression member movable over the bed plate and type positioned'therein, the said member including aroller positioned over and in spaced relation with the bed plate and riding the rails, a second roller member in adjustably spaced relation therewith and riding the under Y bers having the open side upward and the base 7 thereof secured to the bed plate adjacent each side edge thereof, a spring supported rail" in each of the channel members, an impression member movable over the bed plate and type positioned therein, the said impression member including end frames, a roller supported i nthe end frames and positioned over and in spaced relation with the bed plate and riding the rails,

and a second roller fixedly supportedin the end frames and riding the under surface of the plate, means for adjusting the distances apart of the rollers, said end frames being roller supported from lateral movement of the bedplate and being movable in a direction at.-a right angle to the surface of the bed plate,,the springpressed rails on which the upper roller' rides providing a means for raising the end frames to bring the lower roller to contact with the under surface of the bed plate and thereby determine the position of the lowermost surface of the upper roller above the bed plate...

5. In a printing machine, a sheet metal bed plate for supporting type, said plate being arched in form from end to end, the side edges of the plate having channels extending longitudinally thereof, an impression member movable over the bed plate and type positioned therein, said impression member including end frames and rollers carried by the end frames, one extending transversely of the upper face of the bed plate and the other extending transversely of the under side, the upper roller being rotatable initially in itstraverse of i the bed plate through contact with the rails and secondarily through contact with the surface of the sheet being printed and the other roller being independently rotatable by contact with the under surface of the bed plate, anti-friction elements on each end plate'for supporting the impression member from material movement transversely of the bed plate, a spring supported rail element in each of the channel portions of the bed plate .on which the upper roller member rides thereby tending to lift the end frames in a direction vertically of the bed plate to cause the lower roller to ride the under surfaceof the bed plate, the said roller members supporting the impression member from displacement in a direction vertically of the bed plate, and meansfor adjusting the distance -'apart of the rollers to a thereby vary the pressure of the upper roller on the element being printed.

6. In a printing machine, a sheetmetal'bed plate for supporting type thereon, an impression membermovable longitudinally of the bed plate to engagement with the type in performing a printing operation, said member including an upper roller positioned transversely of the bed plate, a support therefor, a lower roller carried by the support and engageable with the under surface of the plate, means for adjusting the distance apart of the rollers, spring supported rails at each side of the bed plate on which the upper roller rides thereby tending to raise the said support and hold the lower roller in contact with the under surface of the bed plate thereby maintaining the lower edge of the upper roller at a predetermined type-engaging tact therewith and the lower roller "being ro-.

tated solely by contact with the under surface of the bed plate and supporting the same from deflection through pressure contact of the upper rollerwith the type.

' CHARLES M. LAMB. 

